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Cortis x illit

The Art of the Tiny Handover

The high-ceilinged rehearsal studio at HYBE was currently divided into three distinct zones of chaotic productivity. While the "Eclipse Project" had spent the last few months solidifying their bond as a massive eleven-member unit, the management had recently decided that the group’s dynamic worked best when they broke down into smaller, specialized "family cells" for cross-training.

In the far left corner, James and Yunah were locked in an intense session of rhythmic precision. Between them sat Iroha, her eyes darting back and forth like she was watching a high-speed tennis match.

"The weight shift has to be more grounded, Yunah," James said, his brow furrowed in concentration. He wasn't hovering over Iroha for once; instead, he was demonstrating a complex leg sweep. "If you don't anchor your heel, the momentum will throw Iroha off when she tries to use your arm as a pivot."

Yunah wiped sweat from her forehead and nodded, her expression just as fierce. "I get it. But if I anchor too hard, I lose the fluidity for the next transition. Iroha, try the pivot again. Don't be afraid to put your full weight on my shoulder. I’ve got you."

Iroha leaped into action, her small frame moving with the speed of a hummingbird. She grabbed Yunah’s forearm and swung herself into a low spin, her sneakers squeaking sharply against the floor. James watched with a critical eye, but notably, he didn't rush in to catch her. He trusted Yunah’s strength.

"Better," James approved, a small smile finally breaking through his professional mask. "Yunah, your stability is incredible. It’s a different kind of support than when Martin or I do it. It’s more... agile."

"That’s because we actually share a center of gravity," Yunah teased, glancing down at Iroha. "We aren't a foot and a half taller than her like you giants. It makes the leverage easier."

Across the room, a completely different kind of training was taking place. Juhoon and Minju were seated on the floor, surrounded by a sea of lyric sheets and tablet screens. They were tasked with the vocal arrangement for a new sub-unit ballad, and Iroha was sandwiched between them, humming a melody line.

Juhoon was leaning back on his hands, listening intently as Minju coached Iroha through a difficult bridge. "Try to breath from the diaphragm more, Roha-ya. Like this." Minju demonstrated a long, stable note that resonated through the room.

"She’s right," Juhoon added, his voice low and melodic. "If you push from the throat, the tone gets too thin. Listen to Minju-noona’s resonance. Try to match the vibration in her chest."

Iroha took a deep breath, her small chest expanding as she mimicked Minju. The result was a richer, more soulful sound that made Juhoon’s eyes widen in surprise.

"There it is," Juhoon whispered, looking at Minju with genuine respect. "I couldn't explain it to her like that. My range is too deep to give her a proper reference point. You’re a great teacher, Minju-ssi."

Minju beamed, reaching over to tuck a stray hair behind Iroha’s ear. "She’s a fast learner. And it helps that she isn't intimidated by me. Sometimes you boys are so intense about her 'safety' that she gets too stiff to sing properly."

Juhoon chuckled, a rare, genuine sound. "We’re working on it. Martin has a checklist now. If she isn't bleeding or crying, he’s allowed to stay five feet away."

In the center of the room, the most chaotic trio was engaged in what was supposed to be "visual and variety training," though it looked mostly like a high-energy comedy sketch. Seonghyeon, Moka, and Iroha were practicing their "ending fairy" poses in front of a portable mirror.

"No, no, Moka-unnie, look," Iroha said, demonstrating a wink that involved her entire face scrunching up. "You have to make it look like you’re surprised the camera is there, even though you’ve been staring at it for four minutes."

Moka burst into laughter, leaning against Seonghyeon’s shoulder for support. "I can't do the 'surprised' look! I just look like I’m confused about where I am!"

Seonghyeon, ever the jokester, grabbed a nearby water bottle and used it as a mock microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, the national maknae has spoken! Moka-noona, you need more sparkle. Watch me."

Seonghyeon did a dramatic, slow-motion hair flip that was so over-the-top it nearly knocked over a tripod. Iroha and Moka collapsed into giggles, clutching each other as they sank to the floor.

"You’re both hopeless," Moka gasped, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Seonghyeon, you’re supposed to be the sub-visual, not a circus act."

"I can be both!" Seonghyeon declared, offering a hand to pull both girls up. "Iroha, what do you think? Was that idol-like?"

"It was... something, Oppa," Iroha managed to say between giggles.

The door to the studio opened, and Martin and Keonho walked in, carrying several bags of takeout and a tray of iced drinks. Martin’s eyes immediately tracked to Iroha, but he stopped himself from rushing over. He saw her laughing with Moka and Seonghyeon, her face bright and full of life, and he felt a strange sense of relief.

"Lunch is here!" Keonho announced, holding up a bag of burgers. "We got the spicy ones for the brave and the plain ones for the weak."

The groups began to merge back into one large circle in the center of the room. As they sat down, the seating arrangement was noticeably different than their early days. Iroha wasn't buried under a pile of boys; instead, she was sitting between Wonhee and Keonho, her legs crossed comfortably as she reached for a fry.

"How was the choreography session?" Martin asked, handing a strawberry smoothie to Iroha and a black coffee to Yunah.

"Productive," Yunah said, taking a grateful sip. "James and I figured out the lift. It’s much more stable now that we’ve adjusted the timing. I think Iroha feels more confident when we both have a hand on the transition."

James nodded in agreement. "Yunah’s right. I was over-complicating it by trying to do all the heavy lifting myself. When we share the weight, the move looks more balanced. It’s a true Eclipse move now."

Wonhee leaned over, nudging Iroha. "Did you hear that? You’re a 'balanced' weight now. No more being carried like a sack of rice."

"I liked being carried like a sack of rice," Iroha admitted with a cheeky grin, earning a round of laughter from the table.

"Don't worry, Keonho will still do it when the cameras aren't looking," Seonghyeon teased.

As they ate, the conversation flowed with an easy, rhythmic quality that showed how far they had come. They weren't just two groups forced together anymore; they were a collective. Martin was talking to Minju about the logistics of the upcoming music show recording, while James and Moka were debating the merits of different stage outfits.

"I think we should go with the tech-wear look for the opening," Moka suggested. "It emphasizes the 'Eclipse' theme. The boys can have the heavier straps, and the girls can have the reflective accents."

"I like that," Martin said, nodding thoughtfully. "It keeps the visual unity without making us all look like we’re wearing the same uniform. What do you think, Iroha? You’re the one who has to dance in it."

Iroha looked up from her burger, surprised to be consulted on such a high-level decision. "I like the reflective parts! It makes us look like we’re glowing when the lights hit us."

"Reflective it is," James said, making a note on his phone.

After lunch, the managers announced a surprise: a "Team Building Challenge." The group was to be split into two teams, and they had to navigate a mini-obstacle course set up in the basement gym.

Team A consisted of Martin, James, Yunah, Minju, and Wonhee. Team B consisted of Juhoon, Seonghyeon, Keonho, Moka, and Iroha.

"Wait, Team B has all the pranksters," Wonhee pointed out, pointing at Keonho and Seonghyeon. "That’s not fair. They’re going to cheat."

"It’s not cheating, it’s creative problem-solving!" Keonho shouted, already leading his team toward the elevator.

The basement gym had been transformed into a maze of foam blocks, balance beams, and "lava" pits made of red mats. The goal was to get the entire team from one side to the other without anyone touching the floor.

Team A went first. Martin and James acted as the pillars, using their height to bridge the gaps between the larger foam blocks, while Yunah and Minju helped Wonhee across. It was a display of sheer strength and coordination. They finished with a respectable time, Martin looking smug as he crossed the finish line.

"Your turn, Team Chaos," Martin challenged, checking his stopwatch.

Team B huddled together. Juhoon, the silent strategist, took the lead. "Okay, we don't have the height advantage Martin and James have. We need to be faster and more agile. Moka-noona, you and I will handle the base for the first jump. Seonghyeon, you take the middle. Keonho, you’re the bridge for Iroha."

The whistle blew, and Team B moved with surprising synchronicity. Juhoon and Moka worked in perfect tandem, moving the smaller foam blocks with a speed that left Team A blinking in surprise. Seonghyeon was a blur of energy, leaping across the balance beams with the grace of a cat.

When they reached the final "lava" pit, which was a six-foot gap, the team stopped.

"We can't jump that," Moka panted.

"We don't have to," Iroha said, her eyes flashing with an idea. "Oppa, Noona, make a chair!"

Juhoon and Seonghyeon immediately understood. They locked their arms together, creating a stable platform. Moka and Keonho stood on either side to steady them. Iroha climbed onto the "human chair," and with a coordinated heave, they didn't just help her across—they literally launched her over the gap.

Iroha sailed through the air, landing perfectly on the safe mat on the other side. She immediately turned around and held out a long gym rope for the rest of them to use as a guide.

"They did it!" Wonhee screamed, cheering from the sidelines.

Team B finished five seconds faster than Team A.

"How?" Martin asked, looking at the stopwatch in disbelief. "We have the longest legs in the building!"

"Legs don't matter if you don't have the momentum," Moka said, high-fiving Juhoon. "We used Iroha as a projectile. It was very efficient."

"I enjoyed being a projectile," Iroha added, her pigtails a mess but her smile wider than ever.

As the day wound down and the group headed back to the dorms, the atmosphere was one of total unity. The boys were still protective, yes—Juhoon made sure Iroha had her jacket zipped up against the evening chill, and Martin carried her bag—but the "obsession" had evolved into something healthier. They trusted the girls to care for her, and they trusted Iroha to care for herself.

Back at the dorm, they decided to have a "family movie night" in the main lounge. This time, there was no "protection circle" of boys. Instead, the seating was a jumble of members. Iroha was curled up on a beanbag between Moka and James, sharing a large bowl of popcorn. Yunah and Martin were engaged in a quiet conversation about the next week’s schedule, while Keonho and Wonhee were fighting over the remote.

"I want to watch the horror movie!" Keonho insisted.

"No! Iroha will have nightmares!" James instinctively called out from the beanbag.

"Actually," Iroha said, peeking out from behind her popcorn. "I want to see the horror movie. I watched a trailer and it looked cool."

The room went silent. The five Cortis boys looked at her as if she had just announced she was moving to Mars.

"A horror movie?" Juhoon asked, his voice trembling slightly. "With the ghosts and the jumping?"

"Yes!" Iroha said firmly.

"Well," Martin said, clearing his throat and trying to look brave. "If the maknae wants to watch a horror movie, we watch a horror movie. But... I’m sitting near the light switch. Just in case."

"And I’m holding the extra blanket," Seonghyeon added, already pulling a duvet over his head.

The movie started, and within ten minutes, the power dynamic of the room shifted entirely. Every time a jump-scare happened, it wasn't Iroha who screamed. It was Keonho and Seonghyeon, who ended up huddling behind the sofa. Martin was staring at the screen with a look of intense concentration, his jaw locked, while James had his eyes half-closed.

Iroha, meanwhile, was leaning against Moka, munching on popcorn and pointing at the screen. "Look, Unnie! The makeup on that ghost is really good! We should ask the stylists if they can do that for the Halloween special."

Moka laughed, pulling Iroha closer. "You’re braver than all these boys combined, Roha-ya."

"It’s just a movie," Iroha said, looking back at her "bodyguards" who were currently flinching at a creaking door sound on the TV. "Don't be scared, Oppas. I’ll protect you."

The boys looked at her, then at each other. The irony wasn't lost on them. Here they were, five of the most imposing male idols in the industry, being offered protection by a 5’0” fourteen-year-old in chick-patterned pajamas.

"We’re not scared," Martin lied, though he didn't move an inch away from the light switch. "We’re just... analyzing the cinematography."

"Right. Cinematography," James echoed, his voice an octave higher than usual.

As the credits rolled and the lights were finally turned back on, the group stayed in the lounge, reluctant to break the cozy atmosphere. The merger had been a corporate decision, a strategic move by HYBE to dominate the charts. But as Iroha looked around the room, she didn't see a project.

She saw Yunah and James arguing about a dance move in the corner. She saw Juhoon and Minju sharing a pair of headphones, listening to a new demo. She saw Keonho and Wonhee finally reaching a truce over a bag of chips. And she saw Martin, her leader and big brother, watching over everyone with a quiet, satisfied smile.

The "Eclipse Project" was no longer just about protecting a pocket-sized miracle. It was about eleven people who had found a way to bridge their worlds. The boys had learned that Iroha was stronger than she looked, and the girls had learned that the boys' hearts were just as big as their heights.

Iroha stood up, stretching her arms over her head. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, everyone!"

"Wait!" all five boys and four girls shouted at once.

Iroha paused, looking back. "Yes?"

"Did you brush your teeth?" Minju asked. "Do you have your plushie?" Martin added. "Is your phone on the charger?" James questioned. "Do you want a glass of water?" Juhoon offered.

Iroha laughed, a sound that filled the dorm with warmth. "Yes, yes, yes, and no. Goodnight!"

As she disappeared down the hallway, the remaining ten members looked at each other.

"She’s definitely the boss of this house," Yunah noted, leaning back against the sofa.

"Always has been," Martin agreed, picking up a discarded popcorn kernel. "We’re just the staff."

"The very tall, very overprotective staff," Seonghyeon added, finally coming out from behind the sofa.

The Eclipse had fully formed, and as the lights in the dorm went out one by one, the house was silent and secure. They were a family of eleven, bound by music and a shared love for a girl who was small enough to fit in their shadows but strong enough to lead them all into the light.